By Nik Nurfaqih Nik Wil
JAKARTA, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- Indonesian authorities have seized about 2.6 tonnes of liquid suspected to be methamphetamine after intercepting a Tanzania-flagged vessel off Riau province and detaining its 10 Myanmar crew members.
Indonesia’s National Narcotics Agency (BNN) said the suspected substance was stored in eight 200-litre drums and a 1,000-litre water tank aboard MV Ocean Porter, which was intercepted by a joint enforcement team at about 6 pm local time on Aug 17 off Tanjung Parit in Bengkalis.
“Further examination of the substance is under way,” the agency said in a video posted on its social media account.
The operation, involving BNN, the Customs and Excise Department and the Riau Islands Regional Police, was launched following intelligence that narcotics would be transported from Sarawak, Malaysia, into Indonesian waters.
“The vessel was flying the Tanzanian flag and all 10 crew members on board are Myanmar nationals. They have been detained for further investigation,” BNN said.
The vessel was subsequently towed to the Customs and Excise base in Karimun, where an inspection involving sniffer dogs and narcotics-detection equipment uncovered the liquid suspected to be methamphetamine.
BNN said investigations also revealed that the vessel’s identity had allegedly been changed from MV Rain Maker to MV Ocean Porter as part of the narcotics network’s modus operandi.
The agency said some 1.57 million illegal cigarettes from China that did not bear Indonesian excise stamps were also found inside a 40-foot container.
--BERNAMA